Hit and run driver jailed after killing Nelson mum (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Hit and run driver jailed after killing Nelson mum

9:00am Tuesday 11th August 2009 in News By Wendy Barlow, Court reporter

A SPEEDING hit-and-run driver who knocked down and killed a well-loved and respected mother-of-three has been jailed for three years.

Athif Faiz, 23, was at the wheel of a hired Vauxhall Astra when he hit Amanda Bailey, 33, in Leeds Road, Nelson, on February 12.

His front seat passenger Mohammed Zaman, 19, and the backseat passengers Mohammed Rashid, 24, and Rafhan Sarwar 19, all fled from the scene, failed to get medical attention for the victim and left her to die from multiple injuries.

Faiz was said to have been driving at 60mph, twice the speed limit, and may have been trying to catch up to another car in front when he hit Amanda.

The car was later found abandoned in Blackburn and when Faiz was eventually arrested by police he made no comment.

Faiz, of Leeds Road, Nelson, now the father of a six-week-old child he has never seen because he has been on remand, had earlier admitted causing death by dangerous driving.

He was also banned for for five years and must take an extended re-test.

Zaman pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice and was sent to detention for 16 months.

Rashid, of Burns Street, Zaman, of Roland Avenue, and Fawar, of Charles Street, all Nelson, had denied causing death by dangerous driving and were all cleared.

An allegation of conspiring to pervert the course of justice against all four was left to lie on the file.

Sentencing, Judge Beverley Lunt told Faiz: “You killed Amanda Bailey.”

Faiz had also admitted a separate unrelated allegation of assault causing actual bodily harm and was given an extra four months on top of the three years.

His brother Razwan Faiz, 27, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, assault, and no insurance, from the same unrelated incident and was sent to prison for 12 months, and was banned for a year.